If we can get through this year....

One year ago (this Sunday), I married the man of my dreams. It's been a roller coaster this year, with hubby working out of town and the untimely passing of my brother. Let me tell ya, if we can get through this year, we can get through anything.

Paul, I love you to the moon and back. Without you on my side, I would not have made it! I wish for happy days in our future.

Bon Appetit, Karrie

AFSP: National Survivors of Suicide Day - Saturday 11/20

AFSP: National Survivors of Suicide Day


As many of you know, I recently lost my sweet brother to suicide. I've never cried so much in my whole life and I've never felt this much pain. We're still trying to piece together what happened and there are lots Whys?? Our family will never be the same without Kyle. Unfortunately, we're not the only family to have experienced such gut-wrenching pain. Every 16 minutes somebody dies by suicide, leaving families to make sense of it every 17 minutes.

If you are a survivor, or you know somebody that is, I encourage you to look into this event. If nothing else, there is a lot of good information on the website http://www.afsp.org/ that could help save other families from going through this agony.

Sincerely,Karrie

Blog, what blog?

I know my devoted 10 followers are wondering what in the world happened to me? :P You know life just gets in the way, summer comes, work takes over etc... and the blogging gets pushed to the back burner. I have been scrapbooking and chit-chatting on message boards (maybe that's where all my time goes!), but just not posting to my blog.



This layout is a self portrait of DH and I on my 40th birthday in the back of a cab in Chitown. I saw this cool technique - and for the life of me I can't recall what blog I saw this - where you put blobs of paint at the top of a piece of paper then clip it to the inside of a box and douse it with water to create a streaky flow of paint. I then created my own white mist and sprayed that all over. The matte has been embossed with my new Cuttlebug. Why did I just buy one?? I love it.

Thanks for looking have a great weekend.

**Swoon, the new 7 Gypsies collection

The gypsies have been traveling the countryside long enough.... and they're posting sneaks of some new goodies, well worth the wait. I heart 7 Gypsies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5lXygFkanc&feature=player_embedded

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday - Already??

I just put out the blog address to my friends and family. Jump right in and make yourselves at home. The blog is pretty much all scrapbook related, but I might spice it up a bit and through in some recipes here and there. I'm just getting the hang of blogging, but I thought it would be a good way for some of my inner circle to see what I'm up to since distance is great.

This layout is for the last of LPS challenges. This assignment was to use a sketch (provided) and use a recycled piece. My recycled piece is the plaid fabric and the off-white piece with the grommet on the bottom. It's from an upholstery sample that a/ we never purchased and b/ we obviously never returned. I also reused some Prima packaging under the photo and I ripped part of our wedding invite for the round "tag" on the bottom. TFL and have a great Sunday.

Here's a close up of the tags and the grommet.

Why do I scrap? NSD Challenge

Why do I scrap? Honestly, I scrap for me. We don't have or plan on having children, so I'm not really sure what is going to happen to all these scrapbooks once I pass on, but all I know is that I don't want to forget all the great things (and some not so great things) that have happened in my life. It's my love story to Paul. Plus I really love the paper!

I'm excited I just discovered one of my Cricut cartridges has this cut banner shape. Hello homemade banners!

Happy National Scrapbooking Day

Isn't it totally awesome that there today is a holiday recognizing scrapbooking? In my book everyday is National Scrapbooking Day tee hee!! So grab your photos, adhesive and trimmer and let's celebrate!

I've been busy working on layouts for Life Preservers Blog Hop and Scrapfit. For LPS, each of the DT doubled up to create 4 challenges. I've accomplished 2 thus far. The first one, was to create 2 Mother's Day cards - one for your Mom and one for somebody who is like a Mom to you, using 2 sketches (Thanks Sharon & Rhonda). Here's my take on that one:

Next, I hopped over to Laura Lee and Gabrielle's blogs where the challenge was to use NO patterened paper. (GASP!) 5 different kinds of ribbons and 5 flowers (which my flowers are kind of fudging it I guess, do rubons, the photo itself and a paper border count as flowers? You be the judge. (Ummm, yeah I know the photo is not straight, I realized that and it was too glued down to move it... chalk that up to creativity, I guess!)

Then, I hopped over to Scrapfit to do their Use your Stash Challenge. I had no trouble finding loads of stuff in my stash for this layout.

Lastly... I made some cards for Lisa J's weekly challenge - make 3 cards and send at least 1 to somebody that could us a little pick me up. Easy peasy.

Thanks for looking and have a great weekend. I still have more challenges to do, so stay tuned.

Fred & Ginger, we are not!

This was a difficult challenge for me - 2 pager! (ugh... I don't really do those anymore) and NO title?! What?? Every page needs journaling and a title IMPO! Check out Scrapfit's blog for their latest "Scrappin' Exercise!" (I used Page Maps as inspiration for both pages)

I apologize for the worst photograph - I just couldn't get these photos to turn out!

Journaling reads:

8 weeks of dance lessons

4 left feet

$160 spent on lessons

2 people that can't wait til the wedding hype is over

1 very patient instructor

LOTS of memories

TFL and have a great weekend!

Ephanie Bags

Ladies - check out this amazing giveway here:
http://www.haveanepiphanie.com/home/2010/2/28/epiphanie-give-away.html

One Fine Day

September 19, 2009 was such a beautiful day, not only was the weather an absolutely perfect Indian Summer day, but it was also our wedding day! Here's a picture of our nieces looking so innocent and sweet playing with bubbles (kinda rare). Isn't is cool that 3 & 4 year olds can find such pleasure in the simplest things in life? When does that change?

This layout is for the Scrap Fit weekend blog hop. http://scrapfit.blogspot.com/ Most of you that know me, know that I don't work out (though I need to), but I do love me a ScrapFit workout! Thanks for the fun hop, girls.

May Day May Day May Day!

Okay, well not yet... but it's right around the corner, right? We just got some more snow and slushy wet stuff - so done with winter, so I thought I would "Spring it Up" even if it doesn't feel like it. This is a basket I made for a Spring Craft project on the May Arts Blog.

Now I'm off to work on my layout for the ScrapFit blog hop. Why don't you hop along with us? http://scrapfit.blogspot.com/

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Lucky Me!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I truly am a lucky girl as I get to spend the rest of my days gazing into those beautiful blue eyes (green would have been more fitting for this post!). I just love the new My Little Yellow Bicycle "Lucky Me" line, there's also some old MYLYB stuff (photo frame, stickers & rubons) pp from Scenic Route, Sass flowers, JB bingo card, Thickers, MLS letters (can't get enough of these!), Stickles. This layout is for Sharon's Challenge of the Week at Life Preservers.

2 posts in one day! What has gotten into me?

Ladies, you're going to love these embellis

- click here for yumminess:

http://creativityandlove.blogspot.com/2010/03/update-night-and-giveaway.html?showComment=1268697054275_AIe9_BHtYWAVhlL0XWi4NU5zCgIlNibzUZ9apzyNdkpIr_9lGjraOsGy7IzEQZVfdrr3MBNDzV-u6wr9HgxfuylojQpgSSz6l5dHwdfCpNIngOH0a3_0EFoq_KxEw5VxeQsEm8wctbSYRIBtzH6_aVR_S3WUQohxHj6QCqbGl17qB_3arZv5ONjcZQL88joVtr0fyweEqOJMS7y3xIEQBlqMbd9aOz6hSWGYYBGvCCuSzvmE54_m288V2a1nRhuDzmfeGFNLnCpQ#c2770560136334757675

Creating Keepsakes University

Well! I just discovered that there is a CKC outside St. Louis at the beginning of next month and I decided to make the trek down there! Whewww Whooo! I can't wait. I signed up to take 2 classes - Misting and Masking by Studio Calico and Life Is, by Ali Edwards. Anybody want to join me?

I really need to upload some photos from my recent trip to the Scrap Inn. Check out this adorable B & B in Rockford, IL. My girlfriend, Melanie and I were the only ones there due to a last minute cancellation, so we were treated like Royalty. Becky, our hostess, was awesome! Can't wait to book another scrappy weekend.
www.scrapinn.com

Hey Bloggers!

Howdy girls, all 3 of you.... As you can see I'm undergoing some construction on the blog as I sort my way through cyberspace finding FREEBIES for my blog. I'm not in a position to buy stuff, unless it's for bling, Maya Mist, or Tim Holtz stamps!!

1. How do I add photos to my blog - in lieu of links to layouts I've done? I'd like them to already be uploaded to the blog.

2. Yep, the header needs work - and since I'm working with a Commodore 64 for a computer, it makes editing a challenge - okay.... really a nightmare. Is there an easy way to edit this photo to contain both text and a photo of moi?

Any other tips, tidbits are appreciated. Have a great week!

Karrie

Dirty Scraps: Dirty Scraps Challenge #4:#links

Dirty Scraps: Dirty Scraps Challenge #4:#links
Awesome challenge, it really did get me to reflect upon a lot of things.
http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/pp113/petunia670/scrap2-26-10001.jpg

Well, I've taken the plunge into blogging! Why, I ask myself? It seems like the next natural progression in the scrapbooking world, and quite frankly, I wanted to post a layout for a blog hop!

[IMG]http://i403.photobucket.com/albums/pp113/petunia670/scrap2-26-10001.jpg[/IMG]